The Ship Of Dreams
by victoriamalfoytw
Summary: On board the Titanic, Caroline Forbes runs into a very familiar friend, with a very gorgeous, very familiar accent. The ship is sinking, they'll survive the tragedy, but for tonight they'll pretend like they won't. One night could change it all. Klaus x Caroline
1. Life Is Looking Up

**"And one day, you catch yourself wishing that the person you loved had never existed, so you'd be spared from your pain."**

_The Ship of Dreams._

Caroline Forbes let out a little snort of laughter at that, as the said ship was currently sinking, beyond the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean. And it was trying it's hardest to bring all of its passengers with it.

It was times like this when Caroline thanked her lucky stars that she was a vampire, meaning she couldn't die from drowning due to a little construction flaw. No one, not the captain _Edward Smith,_ not _Bruce Ismay,_ not even the _Harland and Wolff workers_ that built her, ever in their wildest imaginations could have known that the astounding vessel that was the _Titanic _would be taken down by a simple natural occurrence such as an iceberg.

Of course, none of the passengers were aware of the danger beneath them yet, but soon they would know. Caroline merely chanced across the news of the iceberg because she had caught on to the end of the Captain's worried ramblings to the First Mate as the pair had rushed past her. She had time to enjoy the beautiful boat, before it was too late.

Standing at the edge of the Grand Staircase – her second favourite spot - Caroline heard a voice, one that brought back memories she had tried, and failed, to suppress.

"Miss Forbes, a surprise to see you here sweetheart," A British accent spoke softly from behind her. She spun on her heels quickly, her long dress flowing out gracefully around her. Of course it was him, it was _always_ him.

"Niklaus Mikaelson, now there's a face I haven't seen in a while. I was rather hoping I wouldn't have to see it for another few years yet, wouldn't want to damage my impeccable eyesight," Caroline smiled at the tall and incredibly gorgeous Original Hybrid who now occupied the space in front of her. It was the same every time they met – they would taunt and tease the other but really, they were like best friends. Yet Caroline couldn't help but want more.

"Ouch love, your words sting harsher than a White Oak Stake, I fear I am wounded deeply," He flashed a heart breaking smile at her and as much as she wanted to melt into a puddle, she refused to. Instead, she opted for an eye roll at his dramatics.

"You always were one for over doing things Nik," Caroline gave a half-smile before letting a brief look of horror flash across her face. She prayed to God that he didn't notice her epic slip of the tongue.

"So, it's _Nik_ now is it love?" He commented slyly, raising an eyebrow. Of _course _he noticed, the man was insufferable.

"I figured since we are about to _'die'_ we may as well try to be amicable towards each other," She said dismissively. Damn him and that mischievous twinkle in those gorgeous blue eyes. _No, they are not gorgeous in the slightest. Control yourself Caroline, you are a respectable lady to these people surrounding you._

"Well then sweetheart, care to join me until the water envelops us," Klaus held out his hand expectantly. Apparently Caroline surprised not only him but also herself as she accepted it. God, he had soft hands. Why did everything about him _have _to be so beautiful? _Yet so attractively dangerous._

"Where to Mr Mikaelson?" She asked politely, a hint of a smirk raising her perfect rose red lips.

"To the stars," He smiled and she swore her dead heart stopped.

"Come Nik," She beamed, tightening her grip on his hand and pulling him up the staircase. She would show him her favourite place on the marvellous ship.

His breath caught at her saying Nik, he liked the way it rolled off her tongue. Only the people who were close to him were allowed to call him Nik, Klaus was what the others who feared him referred to him as. It was the name that preceded his reputation. Even though he hated when people, namely Elijah, called him Niklaus, he couldn't help but smile when Caroline first said it. It sounded beautiful. But then again, Caroline was beautiful and she could make anything sound good. Even their _'impending death'._ He knew she would survive, but he still could not shake the feeling of worry resonating deep in the pit of his stomach.

"Are you nervous?" Her voice broke through his thoughts.

"I mean, about the ship sinking. I'm sure you know as well as I do that there isn't nearly enough lifeboats and we may not get to one on time," She added softly.

"I suppose," He sighed absentmindedly.

"Why?" Caroline questioned him as they walked along the deck, hands intertwined.

"I almost drowned once as a human, it was frightening. The fear of knowing you need to take a breath, your lungs on fire, urging you to breathe but being unable to. That used to be a great fear of mine as a human – suffocation. It is probably one of the worst ways to go," He revealed as she looked at him with sadness and worry. He felt his lips pull into a smile as she gently leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Do not worry Nik, it is all in the past. You jump, I jump, remember?" She smiled before pulling him on.

"I remember. You are a good person Care, could be nicer to me sometimes. I'd forgive you if you took off that dress though," Klaus grinned at her, watching as she blushed before the anger and amusement crept onto her face.

"You're such a pervert, what the hell's wrong with you wolf boy?" She rolled her eyes, secretly thrilled.

"Well my step-father was an evil psychopath and my mother was an overprotective lunatic, so start adding," He shrugged.

She gave him a look that resembled pity and he looked over the banister out to sea, uncomfortable. He hated being pitied; it made him feel weak and vulnerable. And that was one thing the Original Hybrid was _not._

"Here we are," She announced quietly, pulling him into a corner of the deck. He responded by wrapping an arm around her tiny waist.

"I've missed _you _Nik, I've _missed_ my best friend over the past two years," Caroline sounded close to crying. God he hated when she cried.

"I'm sorry love, I wish I could have been with you but the werewolf packs were causing trouble and I was the only one who could sort them out. Some kind of worldwide spell by the witches who wanted rid of vampires and werewolves."

"I'm glad you're here. Even though we won't die, I'm glad my last moments on this ship will be with _you,"_ She sniffled slightly and he tugged her to him tighter.

"Well, since we're going to be sucked into the water, might as well give myself something to live for," He murmured softly, and with that, he pulled his best friend for many years into the most amazing kiss he had ever witnessed. Overhead, the first flares went up. _Appropriate,_ he thought, as her slender hands wrapped around his neck. _Finally, she thought, my life is looking up._

_**Author's Note:-**__ Hey, so this just popped into my head and I thought aw cute haha! It was written really quickly so sorry if it's not so good. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have and finally I hope you enjoy it!:D x_


	2. It Happened Accidentally

**If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along so why can't you see, you belong with me?**

As a human, Caroline always feared death, she just couldn't wrap her head around the fact that it was forever. Once you died, that was it, everything died with you. Memories, feelings, all _gone _because you just ceased to exist.

She remembered when she first found out about vampires – when she had the misfortune to be used as one's plaything. _Damon Salvatore._ He used and abused her delicate human body, something she would never forgive him for. No matter how much Elena seemed to like him. He compelled her to forget, but she regained control of her mind thanks to his crazy impulsive ex-lover.

Katerina Petrova a.k.a Katherine Pierce. After an accident involving a horse and cart, Caroline found herself in a local hospital. She was getting better but then Katherine being Katherine had to go and put a kink in the plan. She fed the blonde her blood and smothered her with a pillow. _Thus the end of Caroline Forbes aged 17._ Born 1871, human and happy, died 1888, turned vampire and afraid. All to send a message to Elena Gilbert and her two lapdogs, the Salvatore brothers.

Elena Gilbert, the perfect girl that _everyone_ wanted. Caroline was good friends with her but she despised how everyone automatically bent over backwards to accommodate poor Elena. The pity party for her really was sickening. The girl attracted trouble and it annoyed Caroline to no end because somehow, she _always _ended up caught in the middle.

_Until Nik helped her of course._ She first heard of him when his older brother Elijah came to town to 'collect Elena' for the ritual. The one where she, as the human doppelganger was to be sacrificed resulting in Klaus becoming a true hybrid once more. Of course, they found a way around Elena dying, as usual. And somewhere between then, Klaus had taken to Caroline, and secretly, she had didn't mind him all that much anymore.

_'I fancy you, is that so hard to believe?'_

For Caroline, it was at the time. She was so used to everyone going straight for Elena and bypassing her that it became second nature. Klaus was different, however. He only wanted Elena for the ritual; he wanted Caroline _completely. _For once, she was someone's first choice.

From there, their unusual friendship took off. While everyone crowded Elena, Klaus looked after Caroline. She had suffered a lot and he couldn't understand why her _'friends' _didn't seem to care too much. She had been made a vampire against her will, been used and abused, been bitten by a werewolf, tortured by her own father and had to watch him as he suffered through transition to eventually die.

So, Klaus took it upon himself to do something for the beautiful blond girl that he didn't usually do; _help._

He bought her jewellery, gave her sketches, took her to dinner, got to know her, _made her laugh. _And she loved him for doing it. Both liked the other, but never acted on their feelings, merely tried to ignore them and stay best friends, as they had for many years.

It had been 24 years since Caroline had become a vampire, so technically she was still a _'baby'_ which Klaus constantly teased her about. She hated it, but couldn't help but giggle at him. He was the greatest best friend she could have asked for.

Sure he was an Original. And a Hybrid. And like a billion years old. With an anger problem at times. But he _protected_ her and _cared_ for her when no one else even took a moment to stop and think about her. He hated seeing her hurt or upset so he had a knack of cheering her up, always. She treasured his hugs. They were good hugs. Caroline always knew that Klaus was never one for affection, partly because of how Mikael treated him many years ago, but with her, he never held back. He put her _first._

She remembered the first time she felt truly safe and happy. Of _course_ it was with Nik.

_**-**__Alaric had tortured her; stuck pencils in her hands and vervain in her arms until she was frozen in pain. All because of Elena. It wasn't that Caroline didn't love her, she did, and she didn't mind trying to protect her, but she felt things like that always happened to her. And no one seemed to even care._

_Then when she ran, she was caught by someone from behind. Caroline being Caroline tried to let out a scream, but it was quickly muffled._

_"Sh, it's okay, it's me," Klaus whispered, taking his hand away from her mouth._

_"It's okay, you're safe. We'll save Elena. You go straight home. You stay inside, do you understand?" He asked, turning her around to face him. He could see the scared look in her eyes._

_"Do you understand me?"_

_"Yes... Thank you," Caroline nodded, looking into his eyes. They stood like that for a few minutes before he flashed away. Standing in the hallway, many thoughts passed through Caroline's mind, but then she realised where she was. Pushing them aside, she did as Klaus asked and flashed home, locking the doors and windows behind her._

_She sat huddled on her bed, reflecting on the night's events. Klaus had saved her first, her. Not Elena. Caroline knew she sounded selfish, wanting to be put before Elena but she couldn't help it._

_And Klaus, wow. His voice was delicious and she cursed his accent. It wasn't fair for him to be able to turn on his _'fuck me' _voice like that and instantly make her feel safe and secure. She had suspicions that he made his accent more pronounced around her, and when she was in his presence and he spoke softly to her, she practically clamped her legs shut. His werewolf side would have a _very_ sharp sense of smell, not good for someone like Caroline, i.e. in denial. She laughed at her own lack of self control, she became an absolute puddle around Niklaus.__**-**_

That's still true now, Caroline thought to herself. Tonight was the night for memories it seemed. She found herself remembering the first time she ever told someone she had feelings for Klaus. She told Stefan. _Stefan._ Crazy, right?

_**-**__"I know," He said simply and Caroline's mouth dropped._

_"I know you like him Caroline, hell, you probably love him. I see the way you look at him, it's the same way Rebekah looked at me before we got together; when I was too naive to see what was right in front of me," He offered her a half-grin and she smiled, feeling herself relaxed. It felt good to get her feelings out in the open and not be judged severely._

_"I think I love him," She whispered to the brown haired vampire._

_"You do Care, and you know, I think he loves you, but you're both to afraid to say anything. Don't be ashamed because you love him, he may not be perfect but none of us are. I've probably killed just as many people as he has, yet Rebekah didn't care that I was a ripper. You are not an awful person Care, you are a good person and your ability to look past others flaws is what makes you so. We can't control who we love, even the best of us can't," Stefan sounded sad and Caroline got up, enveloping him in a hug._

_"And you're a good person too Stefan. I know you may not think it, but you are, and your brother loves you, no matter what he says," She smiled reassuringly and Stefan perked up a little._

_"I mean it Care, you need to tell Klaus you love him, don't let it stay hidden for long," He warned her sternly, before hugging her back tightly.__**-**_

Her fingers were woven tightly with Klaus' as they strolled leisurely around the ship, still only the crew and them knew that the ship was sinking. They could hear the people on the lower decks splash out of their rooms into ankle deep water, but no one on the C Deck and above knew yet. It was chaotic silence.

They stopped at the side of the ship, Caroline clinging to Klaus, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her forehead on his.

"Nik," She murmured. Be brave Caroline.

"Hm?"

"I love you," She whispered, looking into his eyes.

"Well that's reassuring, because I love you too," He smiled, speaking just as quietly.

"I have for a while Care."

"I have for a while too Nik," She smiled, pulling him into a soft kiss. _It happened accidentally._

**Author's Note:-** Since you all were so lovely, I decided to add another cheeky wee chapter with some background on the pair. The italic paragraphs are two separate flashbacks! Please let me know what you think :-) x


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